Grace A. Bolson

Grace A. Bolson, age 87, of Decorah, died Wednesday evening, December 31, 2014, surrounded by her family, at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, January 5, 2015 at First Lutheran Church in Decorah with Rev. Melissa Bills officiating. Burial will be in Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah in the spring. Visitation will be from 3:00-6:00 p.m. Sunday, January 4 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah, and on Monday beginning at 10:00 A.M., one hour before the service, at First Lutheran Church. Grace Arlene (Vine) Bolson was born December 28, 1927 at home in rural Decorah, Iowa, the daughter of Alert and Gladys (Moen) Vine. She attended country school through the 8th grade, and then started working at age 16. She was united in marriage to Kenneth M. Bolson June 15, 1949 at First Lutheran Church in Decorah. This union was blessed with eight children: Linda, Kenneth Jr., Veronica, Julie, Pam, Jane, Wayne, and Scott. Grace worked at Ronnie’s Café for many years, at Country Kitchen, and then at Burl’s. She was a Girl Scout leader, loved to go fishing, gardening, flowers, and was very generous. She liked to make sure everyone had something to eat and she also enjoyed playing the slots at the boat in Marquette. Her family was very important to her and she always cared about everyone. Grace was a long-time member of First Lutheran Church in Decorah. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alert and Gladys Vine; one daughter in infancy, Veronica in 1952; two brothers, Ardell and Bud Vine; two sisters, Phyllis Olson and Betty Bruening; and one son-in-law, Milton Huffman. Grace is survived by her husband Kenneth; seven children: Linda Steffes of Zumbrota, MN, Kenneth Bolson Jr. of Cresco, IA, Julie (Terry) Scheidel, Pam Huffman, Jane (Terry) Elsbernd, all of Decorah, Wayne (Sue) Bolson of Cresco, and Scott (Jill) Bolson of Decorah; 23 grandchildren: Rodney (Jen) Steffes, Steven Steffes, Holly (Chris) Hotlen, Rachel (Joe) Allen, Nicole (Daniel) Baarts, Bethany Bolson (fiancé Dylan Schrage), Janel Bolson, Brian Scheidel, Chad Scheidel, Jennifer (Leif) White, Brittany Scheidel (Josh), Crystal Huffman, Jamie Huffman, David (Kelly) Farley, Jeremy (Rachel) Elsbernd, Amanda Elsbernd, Kayla Greer, Tyler Bolson, Jenna Bolson, Abby Bolson, Destyn Bonelli, Hanna Bonelli and Andrew Bonelli; 19 great-grandchildren: Ashely Steffes, Ryan Steffes, Katie Steffes, Jacob Tietz, Morgan Hotlen, Logan Hotlen, Casie Hotlen, Elisbeth Hotlen, Justin Allen, Ben Allen, Jaden Torgerson, Gracelyn Torgerson, Bjorn White, Declan White, Clairissa Huffman, Trinity Peters, Nicholas Farley, Kaylie Wemark and London Greer; one sister, Donna Severson of Calmar, IA; and by several nieces and nephews.